Six Sigm A Case Study

It is well known that although only 5–7% of the entire product cost is attributable to early design, the decisions made during this stage lock in 70–80% of the total product cost. (Ullman, D. G., 1997) Similarly, one can hypothesize the same to be the case for environmental impacts whereby the relative sustainability of a product is determined during the early design stage. Product development methods and tools play a very important role to provide engineers and designers a base reference to the degree of sustainability of a certain product or process as because design embodiments are very vague and highly inconclusive at the early design phase.

Figure 2.6 : Total Product Life Cycle Management

Through using product design tools, engineers

This DFSS methodology is a systematic and rigorous method within which tools, training and data are used to optimise the design process to achieve six sigma performance whereby it focuses on getting it right at the first time. DFSS complements the six Sigma improvement methodology but takes it a step further by weeding out flaws of the product and process during the initial design stages itself. DFSS is simply not a rework of lessons learned in Six Sigma but a profoundly different approach. Design of Experiment (DOE), Design for Manufacturability, simulation and several other tools are used to optimize product

The five phases of IDDOV are:

Table 2.5 : Five Phases of IDDOV

No. Phases Explaination

1 Identify Identify customer needs and address the Voice of Customer (VOC) issues. Prioritize customer requirements, use house of quality to identify and define Critical to Quality (CTQs).

2 Define Define design or process parameters and characteristics and then build a database about the product and related processes.

3 Develop Develop and create new design or process concept that will potentially solve the problem and satisfy customer requirements

4 Optimize Optimize the design or process to achieve balance in quality, cost and time to market. Create effective and favourable design that will minimize the impact of variation in the production process.

5 Validate Demonstrate using data that the product or process is capable, the process quality meets the Sigma level, Satisfies the Critical to Quality (CTQs) and meets the customers’ requirements (VOC) and